She Gave a Kidney-Selfless Love and Act of Friendship

Real Friendship

My kid sister was always a spoiled little brat and if the truth was known daddy's favorite. Maybe I am being facetious with that statement but she was the baby in the family and we all spoiled her rotten. She was a tomboy playing sports and never got into all those girly things but still she was a pretty girl and never lacked opportunities for friends of the opposite sex.

When she started high school she became friends with a group of girls and it has been nearly 30 years since they walked the stage in their high school auditorium to receive their diplomas but have remained close over the years.They enjoy each anothers company and go to concerts and even to the beach for weekend getaways to talk girl talk and relax. Some have been married for years but that doesn't seem to hamper the friendships begun so long ago.

One of these ladies,Lois, had a kidney disease and was told recently her disease had so damaged her kidneys that without dialysis she would soon die. Another option was she could have a transplant if a suitable donor could be found. She had gone to college earning a degree in education and became a teacher excelling in her field in one of our local elementary schools. Three potential donors soon came forward. One was a sibling but ironically one of those who came forward was a friend from that group girls whose friendship began in high school.

Debbie underwent all the physical examinations and testing and it was determined she would be an excellent match. Arrangements were made and both went to the hospital in Atlanta where the team of doctors completed the transplant operation removing Lois' diseased kidneys and replacing with a healthy kidney from Debbie. Normally, a transplanted kidney takes several days to wake up and begin to function but the transplanted kidney from Debbie began working immediately. Both Debbie, the donor and Lois, the recipient are doing fine today.

The gift of life shared by organ donors is a gift of love and an experience that demonstrates a character trait void in many. The bonds that were created so many years ago between Debbie and Lois and all those other gals in my sister class seem to be rare. Thanks to this selfless act Lois can continue to live and without the dreads of dialysis. May God bless Debbie and Lois and your level o friendship iraises the bar for all of us.